Chapter Twenty Two

Blaze looked at Hans closely. Well, he had expected that the doctor would finally meet him in person after he ignored all the phone calls from the man. But he didn't think that Hans would wait for him until the trial was over.

He took a deep breath and took a sip of his Americano. Hah, he doesn't know since when he started to like drinking that black drink. But the caffeine is enough to help him to relax a little from all the problems that arise in his life. Especially from the Reyes siblings—oh, and also the Lowells family.

Hans took a breath. "Since when did you start drinking Americano?"

Blaze raised an eyebrow and put his coffee cup back on the table. "You came to me just to ask about it?"

"Of course not. But…." Hans was silent for a moment. "Well, I guess you don't want to see me for too long. Regarding the other day, when I-"

"Huh? Did we meet? Ah, we did meet at the hospital, didn't we? To treat my wound again," Blaze said, quickly cutting the man's words.

Hans clenched his fists tightly. "Blaze, are you going to act like you've never heard of it?"

"What did I hear? Are we talking about something? As far as I remember, none of our conversations made you have to act like this," Blaze said.

"Behave like... what do you mean?" Hans started to follow the lawyer's game. Although he doesn't want to find new problems with Blaze, this man in front of him is very difficult to talk to.

"Behave like you-"

"What? Is it like I'm looking for reassurance about my confession to you? What about my feelings for you? How about that?"

Blaze was silent. He went back to drinking his Americano. Hans took a deep breath, then checked the watch on his wrist. It was time for him to return to the hospital, but he couldn't leave in the middle of their conversation.

Blaze glanced at him. "Go. You have to go back to the hospital, don't you? I also have to go back to the office. We'll meet again at the hospital for my wound," he said, then got up and left the coffee shop.

Hans himself just looked at the lawyer's departure without being able to hold the man anymore.

Is it so hard for you to accept how I feel, Blaze?

*****

Cameron followed Siegfried, who was walking around the Legion. Every now and then, the two of them enter several shops and chat with the owner or staff of the shop. Legion is a large mall built by the Lowells Group with an annual profit of more than twenty billion per year. With hundreds of stores of well-known brands both at home and abroad, Legion is one of Lowells Group's biggest assets, in addition to several of Lowells Group's subsidiaries in the automotive, property, and mining sectors.

He sighed.

Siegfried glanced at him. From the moment they arrived and toured the Legion, Cameron looked uninspired. Hah, it should be him who shouldn't be excited. Especially with what happened in court earlier. "If you hate this job of yours, you better go back to your father's company, Carter."

"Don't bring it up again, Lowells. You're really annoying," said Cameron.

Siegfried chuckled. "Why? Is it because we are in the Legion? You don't want to see him?"

"I'll just go back to the office," said Cameron as he left.

Siegfried turned and looked at his cousin, who had left him. "Hey, after Legion, aren't we going to have lunch with Yvan and Steph? Come on, don't go."

Cameron turned and looked at Sieg with annoyance. "Then I'll just go to Yvan's office. You take the car, I'll go by taxi," then he threw the car keys at Siegfried.

Siegfried caught it quickly and let the man go. Well, at least today wasn't just a bad mood. "Carter, you really make it look like you're facing death," he muttered, then he continued to walk around.

*****

Jae approached Blaze, who had just arrived. The man should have arrived at the office at eleven, but instead he arrived at half past one in the afternoon. Especially with the expression on his face, it looks bad. Jae thought something must have happened. "So, the trial went smoothly?"

Blaze took a deep breath and entered his room. Jae still followed him. He put his bag on the table and took off his black coat. "Not bad. Maybe in two or three more trials, the judge will be able to decide."

"Lowells Group will win?"

Blaze pressed the intercom button. "Via, one coffee please. Thank you," he said and looked back at Jae, who was now frowning. "It depends on how strong the Lowells Group's evidence is. Why is your face like that?"

"Coffee? Black coffee instead of the usual Latte? Your habits have changed," said Jae.

Blaze sighed and sat down. He took out some documents. "If there's nothing you want to talk about, get out, Jae. Don't you also have a lot of cases to solve."

"Well, that's true. Thanks to the wonderful Lawyer Schift. Since when did you become fond of drinking black coffee, eh? Was it because of yesterday?" asked Jae again.

Blaze looked at Jae seriously. Then Via knocked on the door, bringing his coffee. After placing the coffee cup on the table, the woman left the room by closing the door. Jae sighed. At least their conversation won't be overheard by the other lawyers.

"Blaze, it was just an accident. You guys didn't do it. Well, actually almost. But at that time, you were drunk. Why did you make it look like it was-"

"Hey, please. Don't say it again. I've heard enough of it once, okay? Today I don't want to fight with anyone or with any problem. Including whatever happened yesterday. Even when Siegfried Lowells… oh, my God!! Please come out, okay?" Blaze said.

Jae raised an eyebrow. "Siegfried Lowells is talking to you? About yesterday?"

"Jae Legarda…"

"Okay, I know. Sorry, but really? Then what did you tell him?" Jae was really curious.

Blaze hissed in annoyance. He pressed his forehead. "I'm just saying I don't remember and we'd better pretend nothing happened. We both don't remember anything about it anyway. Satisfied? Come out, please."

"Pretend nothing ever happened? Well, I guess that's for the best. Alright, I'm going out, but you remember, don't you think that at half past two we have a lunch appointment with Lawyer Reyes?"

Blaze nodded. "I remember. I just want to take care of some paperwork. You brought the car, didn't you? I'm coming with you, okay?"

"Okay."

Then Jae left his room. From the expression on the lawyer's face right now, it can be ascertained that he was actually confused by his decision to assume that nothing happened at the bar yesterday.

"But yesterday, they… Well, let it go."

*****

Yvan smiled as he kept his cell phone in his coat pocket. Then he looked at Cameron, who looked bored, busy with his cellphone – maybe playing a game. Then he got up and approached the man.

"Hey, are you having trouble with Sieg again?" He asked while sitting on the sofa.

Cameron glanced at him and snorted. "If I come here, does that mean I have a fight with Sieg? After all, we often fight? It's not a strange thing."

"Of course. But your facial expression is different. You're from the Legion?" Yvan asked again.

Cameron sighed and put his phone away. He looked at Yvan with annoyance. "Can we go? I don't want to fight with your wife, Yvan Hernandez. He was so annoying."

Yvan chuckled. "There are still forty-five minutes before the reservation time. And Steph had to go to the hospital first. Seya is sick again," he said.

"Sick again? Even in Manila alone, the child often gets sick. What if they move to Beijing?" Cameron said.

Yvan smiled. "The Tuviera family definitely knows what's best for them, Cameron. After all, Beijing has one of the world's best hospitals. Why do you always oppose their move to Beijing, eh? Do you miss Seya? Are my children still not enough?"

"Your speech sounds disgusting, Hernandez. Don't make me look like a pedophile. Your wife can kill me if you talk like that in front of her. Come on, I'm hungry. Can we go now? At least I can order dumplings before Sieg and Steph come."

Yvan laughed again. It feels good to be able to tease Cameron. "Well, maybe you should get married soon, Carter," he said as he got up.

Cameron hissed. "Tell that to Sieg, Yvan."

*****